Scientists have found that low gravity or microgravity, also known as weightlessness, in space causes significant changes in the eyes and vision of astronauts after 6-12 months of staying on board the International Space Station (ISS). The results of the study, published in the Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology, raise questions about the effects on the vision of people who fly to Mars.. Such a journey will take at least 6 months in one direction only, writes Interesting Engineering.

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Scientists analyzed the data of astronauts from around the world, men and women of different ages that spent on the ISS from 157 to 186 days. During the study, scientists found that more than 70% of astronauts for the ISS suffer from neuroocular syndrome associated with space flight (Sans).

To study the effects of space travel, scientists analyzed three factors related to the eyes: eye stiffness, intraocular pressure, and ocular impulse amplitude..

The results found significant changes in the biomechanical properties of astronauts' eyes, with a 33% decrease in ocular stiffness, an 11% drop in intraocular pressure, and a 25% decrease in ocular impulse amplitude.. These changes have been associated with symptoms such as decreased eye size, focal field changes, and, in some cases, papilledema..

Scientists also discovered that some astronauts had choroid thicknesses of more than 400 micrometers.. They suggest that weightlessness changes the distribution of blood in the human body, increasing blood flow to the head and slowing blood circulation in the eye, which probably leads to the expansion of the vascular shell that nourishes the retina.

The study authors believe that the enlargement of the choroid in zero gravity may cause long-term changes in the mechanical properties of the eye.. The results showed that pulsating blood in microgravity can create a water hammer effect, where sudden changes in pressure in the bloodstream cause a mechanical shock to the eye, leading to significant tissue changes.

Scientists have found that these changes in the eyes of the eyes are usually not a serious problem if astronauts are in space for 6 to 12 months. The fact is that the use of corrective glasses brought vision back to normal.

Cosmic agencies are still careful about potential risks for humans due to longer cosmic missions, such as flying to Mars. It is still not known exactly how much weightlessness can affect a person’s eyes during a multi-month flight..

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